The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) School of Medicine proposes to strengthen and increase the diversity of the biomedical and behavioral workforce for the 21st century, committed to improving the health and health services of Hispanic populations, by establishing an "Endowed Health Services Research Center" (EHSRC) within the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. The focus and scope of this Center will include enhancing the research agenda relative to the health disparities that impact Hispanics. The primary aims include: 1. To produce new knowledge about health conditions that disproportionately affect Hispanics and about the disparities in health services suffered by this population, both in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. mainland; 2. To establish collaborative alliances with the RCMI Program, the RCMI Clinical Research Center, the Center for Healthcare Systems Evaluation & Sociomedical Research of the UPR Graduate School of Public Health; the Diabetes Center for Research, Education, and Medical Services, all located at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus; 3. To submit a minimum of three research projects to institutional and/or external sources of funding by the year 2005, 4. To submit a Core Center proposal to external sources of support by the year 2005, 5. To provide research training opportunities in health services research to 10 medical, graduate, and postdoctoral students in competitive programs and projects sponsored by the UPR Endowed Health Services Research Center by the year 2006, and 6. To publish a minimum of five papers in peer-reviewed journals on the topics of conditions that are more prevalent among Hispanic populations, health disparities affecting Hispanics, and health services research by the year 2006. Focusing on Hispanic populations, both in Puerto Rico and the U.S., the research agenda will encompass the evaluation of the efficacy and effectiveness of health services; the assessment of the quality of health care provided; the improvement of quality of health care within the health services delivery system; the assessment of the impact of community interventions on the individuals' health status; and the development and dissemination of best clinical practice guidelines based on research outcomes.